Updates

FANmail, the official bimonthly newsletter of the Franchise Action Network!

Today's Headline

"What SEIU doesn't want people to understand is that you need employers before you can have employees. Unfortunately for these workers, the union wants to get rid of the small local franchise business owners who employ the vast majority of potential new members they seek to represent." Matt Haller, IFA Senior Vice President, Media Relations and Public Affairs

Political Updates NY Wage Board Concludes Hearings - IFA Partners with Restaurant Associations Click the image above to see more about Governor Cuomo's efforts to arbitrarily raise the minimum wage for fast food and quick service restaurants. to Fight Back The Wage Board empaneled by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo to examine wages in the quick service food industry held its final public hearing in Albany, New York. The Board, which would discriminate against fast food and quick service restaurants, examined over four hearings whether wages paid "are sufficient to provide for the life and health of those workers," and to recommend what adequate wages should be to achieve those goals. During these hearings small business and fast food operators were far outnumbered by the overwhelming number of union protesters that attended the hearings. The IFA, which already warned Governor Cuomo against this discriminatory approach to raising wages, submitted official testimony to the panel prior to the public hearings. IFA partnered with the National Restaurant Association and the New York State Restaurant Association to form the Coalition to Save NY Restaurants. For more news and information please visit the coalition website - here to see the results of a survey commissioned on this issue.  Senate Hearing Scheduled for California Franchise Relationship Bill  The California Senate Business, Professions, and Economic Development Committee will hold a hearing on AB 525 on Monday, June 29 at 1 PM PT. IFA has continued to be transparent in our work with sponsors and the proponents of the bill to eliminate or drastically modify the current sections on monetization of equity, transfer and terminations provisions. IFA is calling on franchise stakeholders in the state to register their opposition to the current form of the bill by attending the June 29 scheduled hearing. We are also encouraging members to send an opposition letter to their elected officials and the Chair and Co-Chair of the Senate Business & Professions committee. For further Information on this issue please click here, and to see a recent Op-Ed detailing the issue, please click here. IFA Touts Economic and Regulatory Successes of Franchise Industry to Educate Lawmakers In conjunction with the release of monthly jobs data from the U.S. Department of Labor, IFA sent a document to lawmakers and staff on Capitol Hill detailing the franchise industry's success in creating jobs at a higher rate than the overall economy and detailing the existing framework established by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to regulate franchise offerings and pre-sale disclosure. The document also highlighted a recent survey of franchise businesses, which found that nearly 80 percent of franchise owners would recommend their franchise brand to others. Click here to read why franchise small businesses continue to outpace the overall economy and click here to see the results of the franchise owner survey. IFA Admonishes Kansas City Mayor as City Considers Discriminatory Minimum Wage Increase Following the minimum wage push of several major cities, Kansas City Mayor Sly James recently distributed a minimum wage proposal, Committee Substitute for Ordinance 150217, to the City Council. The proposed ordinance, which closely resembles Seattle's current minimum wage ordinance, attempts to increase the minimum wage to $13 per hour by 2020 for businesses employing 250 people or more, while businesses with less than 250 employees have until 2021 to implement the increase. The ordinance discriminates against franchisees by classifying them as large employers with their franchisors, disadvantageously forcing them to implement the wage at a faster rate than non-franchise small businesses. IFA President & CEO Steve Caldeira wrote a letter to Mayor James, urging him to reconsider the proposal so as to provide equal treatment and implementation of any wage increase. A recent study done by Remington Research Group collected the public opinion on minimum wage in Kansas City. Please visit Kansas City for Franchise Fairness, a campaign launched by IFA to actively engage City Hall and Kansas City voters, to view more information on the issue and register your opposition.

FAN at Work

FAN Annual Review
As the Franchise Action Network celebrates its first year of action, we'd like to share with you a brief overview of some of our bigger accomplishments and growth over the year. FAN continues to be the industry's first layer of defense against legislative and regulatory threats, engaging advocates with policy and law makers to educate them on issues affecting franchising. FAN has had substantial growth over its first year, from roughly 1,000 to more than 7,000 advocates. Please take a moment and review some of your hard work here.

FANs Testify Against Harmful Massachusetts Bill
Earlier this month, FAN Steve Buttrick, owner CertaPro, and IFA's Dean Heyl testified before the Massachusetts Joint Committee on Community Development and Small Businesses. The bill, SB 114, would insert the government into franchise business contracts, undermine the mutually agreed upon terms and incentivize litigation. Please register your opposition against this bill by signing our petition here.

We will be monitoring this legislation and updating Massachusetts FANs should any developments occur.

Get Involved

Make Your Voice Heard - Register for IFA's Franchise Action Network Annual Meeting
Registration is now open for the IFA's annual Washington, D.C. fly-in, the Franchise Action Network Annual Meeting, formerly known as the Public Affairs Conference. The event will take place from September 29-30 at the JW Marriott. This is the premier opportunity for franchise advocates to meet with members of Congress to discuss issues facing their small business, while also learning from industry experts during educational briefings and keynote speeches. In conjunction with the annual fly-in, IFA will also be hosting the Franchisee Growth Conference on September 28-29 at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center. Sessions are designed to promote best practices, network with successful franchise entrepreneurs, and build strategic partnerships. Click here to register today!

Click here to register NOW!

Join Your Peers for the All New Franchisee Growth Conference
Come to Washington, DC early for a unique opportunity for franchisees - the all new Franchisee Growth Conference! This event is taking place right before the Franchise Action Network Annual Meeting from September 28-29 at the Ronald Reagan Building & International Trade Center. You will learn the latest innovations and best practices to evolve your business, all while networking with your peers and building strategic partnerships. Attend this conference AND the Franchise Action Network Annual Meeting and get a discounted rate. Register today!

Sponsorship Opportunities for Franchise Action Network Annual Meeting
The IFA has been working tirelessly to protect and promote our industry and we need the help of our members to continue doing so. Taking place September 29-30, we are asking our members to consider sponsorship of our Franchise Action Network Annual Meeting, a most important advocacy event that allows us to come together to deliver key franchising messages to lawmakers on Capitol Hill.

The following opportunities remain available for your company to partner with us for the 2015 FAN Annual Meeting:

• Guest Room Key Card sponsorship: $7,500
• Congressional Reception co-sponsorship: $5,000 each
• Capitol Hill/Congressional Appointments Transportation sponsorship: $5,000
• Lanyard co-sponsorship: $5,000

If you are interested in securing or learning more about one of the sponsorship opportunities listed above, contact Lynette James at ljames@franchise.org or 202-662-0782.

In the News

ICYMI:

Matt Haller, SVP of Media Relations & Public Affairs, addresses attendees of this years IFE about the threats posed to the franchise industry (click image above). Andy Puzder, CEO of CKE Restaurants, Inc., discusses the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and other incentives to deter Americans form government subsidies (click above).

California lawmakers: rewarding bad behavior, fixing things that aren't broken, Sandra Carnet-Gutierrez, The Downey Patriot

State Legislature Puts Customers At Risk, John Quintanilla, Los Cerritos News

NLRB memo: Freshii not a joint employer with franchisee, Lisa Jennings, Nation's Restaurant News

View from HR: New labor regulations could impact NC workplaces, Bruce Clarke, The News & Observer

The New York Wage Board hears remarks from labor groups and the gaggle of 'supporters' that accompanied them (click image above to read more).

SEIU Wants to Kill Franchisees with Kindness, Bill McMorris, The Washington Free Beacon

Why the NLRB Says This Franchise Isn't a Joint Employer, But McDonald's Is, Kate Taylor, Entrepreneur 

GOP lawmaker proposes defunding NLRB, Christina Marcos, The Hill

Comrades in arms, Sean Higgins, Washington Examiner 

L.A.'s Minimum-Wage Hike Is A Job Killer, Investors

A crooked path to fairer pay: Gov. Cuomo's wage board gambit for fast-food workers, Harry Seigel, New York Daily News

Is labor board pulling back on franchising standard?, Sean Higgins, The Washington Examiner

Democrats recount labor's pressure tactics, Edward-Isaac Dovere, Politico 

Ohio Governor Puts a Halt on Unionization for Private Home Health Care Workers, Valerie VanBooven, HomeCareDaily.com

Cries of 'blacklisting' as administration cracks down on contractors, Lydia Wheeler, The Hill

Featured FAN -  Steve Buttrick

Steve Buttrick, owner of CertaPro Painters in Needham Heights, testified before the Massachusetts Joint Committee on Community Development and Small Businesses on June 9, against SB 114. Steve opened his first CertaPro in 2008 and has since expanded to two additional territories. Steve, who's been in franchising for over 20 years, has grown his business through hard work, dedication and his willingness to follow the proven system and business model of the brand, expanding on upon certain operations but never diverging from them.

The bill forces the government into franchise agreements. During the hearing, Steve stressed how this legislation would also undermine mutually agreed upon franchise contracts and incentivizes litigation.

Help Grow the FAN

Help Grow FAN and Stop the Attacks

Here's how you can help today:

1. DOWNLOAD the FAN Toolkit to get template newsletters and blog posts to educate your networks and peers about the importance of joining the Franchise Action Network.
2. CONNECT one-on-one with those you know already to get involved in grassroots efforts to support franchising. We need their voices. Ask them to visit www.franchiseactionnetwork.com to sign up today!
3. ENGAGE with the IFA if you know someone who would make a great FAN, but would like our help recruiting.
4. FOLLOW US on Twitter and Facebook.

Franchising Facts - Did You Know?

A recent poll found that 60 percent of Americans oppose a minimum wage increase of $15 per hour. - New York Times/CBS News Poll

(Click above) Just three questions to provide us with your feedback!